I wrote InspiredWork because I believe life is too short to be unhappy at work. Many of us spend more than half of our waking hours at work. As a result, work plays a major part in our lives and impacts our mental, emotional and physical health and wellbeing. Plus, our happiness level – happy or not – also spills over to our colleagues, friends and family. I know this from personal experience because I went through 16 full-time and consulting job transitions in my 27-year career and I experienced a lot of unhappiness that affected me and everyone around me. Fortunately, I was able to turn my pain into fuel and my career journey can now be titled “From Career Unhappiness to InspiredWork.”

What is InspiredWork?

InspiredWork is work where you:

Are FREE to be yourself,

Feel FULFILLED by using your gifts,

Are HAPPY at work, and

LOVE your life.

My experiences have led me to understand that in order to have our own inspired work that truly speaks to us and fulfills our life’s purpose, it’s not about finding it – it’s about creating it from the inside out and enjoying the journey.

The InspiredWork books are transformational career guides for individuals who have been in the workforce for some time, but are seeking a change. Whether you’re job seeking because you’re currently out of work, would like to make a career change, or are considering your own startup, this book provides a specific strategy for each unique situation. It also aims to tackle the unhappiness epidemic in the workplace.

What is the unhappy work epidemic?

Many of today’s workers feel stuck in their current roles. In fact, Deloitte research shows that 80% of employees are unhappy at work. That’s an overwhelming majority, and my belief is that many people are demotivated and de-energized in their careers. InspiredWork aims to address those issues by getting to the root cause – it puts the power in the hands of the individual.

Why do you think it’s important for individuals to take charge of their own careers?

Even in the very best companies, you’re responsible for furthering your career and taking control of your future. Now more than ever before, it’s not just about seeking out opportunities, in many cases, it’s about creating them.

Is this what you mean by “create the work you love?”

Yes. The main idea behind InspiredWork is that we as individuals can discover what it is that we value most in our work, and then we can create and pursue career opportunities that align with those values. I also believe that creating your own version of work that’s most inspiring and empowering to you should be considered a critical life skill. When you look inward first to determine what exactly you need in a career, you can then take a healthier approach to your goal, whether that’s finding a job, starting a business, or changing careers.

How is it possible to create inspired work in just 8 weeks?

I’ve provided a step-by-step guide that includes everything jobseekers and entrepreneurs need to find a job, change careers or start their own business in only 8 weeks. I encourage readers to dedicate at least one hour to their career journey each day. By following the steps I’ve outlined throughout the guide, professionals will have everything they need for a successful and personalized inspired work journey.

The five-step InspiredWork System starts with “Inspiration & Energy.” Why is that important for your readers?

There are different reasons as to why this is important for each unique type of reader. For instance, jobseekers often approach employment as a solution to a problem. We’re trained to think that the “problem” is being out of work, and the solution is to find a new job as quickly as possible. While some jobseekers do indeed need to find work quickly for financial reasons, at the very least we must pause to re-energize ourselves and take an inward approach to find inspiration. Otherwise, people tend to wind up in a role very similar to the one they just left. It’s critically important for career changers and entrepreneurs as well, because without a solid vision about what you want your work life to look like, it will be very difficult – if not impossible – to get there.

How is InspiredWork different from other career books?

There are so many great books available that offer helpful career advice. Here, though, I’m encouraging readers to take an inside-out approach to creating work they love. Unlike other career guides, I’ve also included 40-days of inspired actions each reader can take based on the career transformation path he or she has chosen such as finding a new job, changing careers or starting a new business. Inspired actions include a combination of inner work (e.g., creating an InspiredWork vision that is heart-centered, reprogramming your conscious and subconscious mind for success and raising your energy daily) and outer work (e.g., creating an authentic personal and/or business brand, establishing a personalized career plan, and implementing a marketing campaign to achieve your career goal). The inside-out combination is very effective because it ensures each reader to discover what inspired work means to him or her personally and it provides practical actions he or she can take to transform his or her career in only 8 weeks.

What is the one inspired career action you recommend everyone take?

Whether you do it for yourself or for your loved ones, I highly recommend that everyone do an annual Career Happiness Checkup such as the InspiredWork Quiz. That’s really the best career advice I can give anyone in the workforce. If you have never done a career happiness checkup before and don’t know how happy or inspired you are at work, take the FREE InspiredWork Quiz and get your career happiness score today. Knowing where you are is the best first step you can take to being happier at work and creating your own inspired work.